DISCOVERS HIS TRUE DREAM OF PLAYING COLLEGE BALL. SUSAN ISAACS HAS THE STORY OF A MARRERO MAN WHO WENT FROM BEING A "TROUBLED TEEN" TO TEAM LEADER. in highschool I wasn't an academic kid, my gpa was pretty low and I couldn't get into a college and I just had a kid 3:36:15 THIS KIND OF LIFE IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR FOR MANY MEN ACROSS THE U-S. I was a knucklehead BUT FOR TROY SALVANT IT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING. SHORTLY AFTER GRADUATING FROM L-W HIGGINS HIGHSCHOOL ON THE WESTBANK HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY. 03:36:25 I joined in 2007, my fist stationed at fort hood and from there I went to iraq in 2009. 3:36:31 WHILE OVERSEAS THE THEN 19 YEAR OLD FATHER OF ONE HAD TIME TO REFLECT AND REALIZE HOW MUCH HE TOOK FOR GRANTED-- LIKE HIS EDUCATION. seeing those kids have nothing and we have everything an we're so ungrateful and they have nothing and are so grateful 3:38:00 WHILE SERVING HIS COUNTRY FOR 6 IN A HALF YEARS, TROY JOINED THE ARMY'S BASKETBALL TEAM WHERE HE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT EUROPE. AFTER REALIZING HE HAD SOME GAME, TROY GOT OUT OF THE MILITARY AND DECIDED TO PURSUE HIS DREAM. THROUGH A MUTAL FRIEND, HE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE HEAD COACH OF XAVIER UNIVERSITY'S MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM-- DANNTON JACKSON WHO TESTED HIS SKILL LEVEL, REALIZED HE WAS AN ASSET AND BROUGHT HIM ON BOARD. 45:51 he's a leader, he's a good communicator on the floor.. He's very good at attacking the rim and he has the ability to handle and shoot the bball so he comes with a triple threat. 46:01 3:39:48 I feel like ive been given a second chance at life. 03:39:53 Like i'm 25 now, my dreams of college were over it just so happened by me joining the army I have a second chance to actually pursue this dream.03:40:02 01:18 Troy says that joining the military was one of the best decisions of his life. It instilled discipline and helped change the course of his life. 01:25 42:11 where do you think you'd be without the military? can I be honest? I'd probably be dead. 42:15 cuz i was terrible coming out of highschool. I didnt have any discipline, no focus no nothing. 42:23 NOW 25, AND FATHER OF TWO- TROY IS A FRESHMAN AT XAVIER, AND THE FIRST PERSON TO GO TO COLLEGE IN HIS FAMILY. HE HOPES HIS KIDS CAN FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS. 43:18 my kids are most important I can show them that daddy's going to college so i gotta do something when i get older. 43:24 THE FIRST GAME FOR THE GOLD RUSH IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 29. TROY WILL BE PLAYING POINT GUARD. ON YOUR SIDE AT XAVIER UNIVERSITY, SUSAN ISAACS WDSU NEWS. ACCORDING TO N-A-I-A RULES, DESPITE SALVANT BEING 25, HE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE TEAM AS A FRESHMAN BECAUSE HE NEVER PLAYED COLLEGE BASKETBALL BEFORE.